University of Wales pays out £460,000 in equal pay case

Nearly £500,000 (£460,000) has been paid out to 18 men in an equal pay case against the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

The group of support staff, which includes plumbers and caretakers, won the case in April 2014, after taking the university to an employment tribunal on the grounds of sexual discrimination because female colleagues on the same pay grade were being paid more.

A spokesperson from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David said: “The University of Wales Trinity Saint David would like to reiterate that it had no involvement in the decisions that were made by Swansea Metropolitan University in 2007, which resulted in this case.

“This was a complex case and we are very disappointed that the newly merged university now has to deal with, in an appropriate manner and with due care, the consequences of historical decisions.”

This case is one of the rare examples where men, rather than women, pursue claims. The legislation is often seen as a mechanism whereby only women can pursue such claims.

The case is also unusual in that it is a current employer that is having to pay out for historical decisions taken where the employer had no input into the original decision taken.

The effect of the announcement is a stark reminder to employers that the liability for equal pay claims is potentially huge. Employer should be fully aware of this issue and undertake equal pay reviews to protect their position.